Posts Tagged ‘blogs’

User generated content- friend or foe?

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

User generated content refers to content on a website or similar form of media which has been produced, written or compiled by the users of that media/website. The greatest example of user generated content is Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia that is produced, maintained and regulated by its users; it is the fifth most popular website in the world (Econsultancy) and although it has been subject to several practical jokes it still remains a trusted source of knowledge and information.

The various ways a brand can integrate user generated content within their online presence are;

  • Web Forum
  • Branded social network
  • Open comments on the blog
  • Review section
  • Video/photo galleries
  • Brand wiki

Web Forum

A forum is a place for people to talk and discuss various matters. They are commonly characterised by topic and are created by fans of that particular topic/product/service. Brands can use a forum as a place to talk with and connect customers encouraging them to  discuss the product/service and post questions giving the brand a means of providing additional customer service and technical support.

Examples of brands using forums; BT, Nintendo and Joomla!

Social network

Social networks are the likes of Facebook and Bebo where friends can connect with one another the platforms allowing them to easily talk online, share content and generally interact with other users of the website including brands. A growing trend is the establishment of brand run social networks  where fans of that brand can connect with the company and other fans allowing them to share experiences, keep up to date with the brand, get exclusive promotions and interact with the people behind the brand. Although creating your own social network  gives you greater control and flexibility it is possible to create a similar community on any exisiting social networks; Asos demonstrate both options by having their own community page and a very successful Facebook page with over 170,000 fans.

Examples of company specific social networks; Asos, Reebok andToyota.

Blog

A blog is an online diary or web log, they are increasingly being utilised by businesses to communicate with stakeholders, however, a blog shouldn’t be a one way street it is there to engage users and encourage feedback. Although not entirely user generated a blog is an ideal place to encourage customer feedback, ideas and conversation and in that sense it is a tool for generating user content. For efficient use of commenting facilities minimise the moderation of comments where possible, respond to any comments left and actively invite readers to get involved by posting their thoughts and comments.

Examples of company blogs engaging with readers; Econsultancy, Playstation and Spotify.

Reviews

Many websites, in particular ecommerce sites, are now providing review facilities providing customers with the chance to provide feedback on the product or service that they recieved. User generated reviews and recommendations are one of the most powerful selling tools for any business  so having positive reviews posted beside products can play an influential role in the decision making process of a potential customer. There are many ways for reviews to be displayed in a website, with most content managed systems it is fairly simple to turn on a review facility, there are also companies such as Feefo who follow every sale with an email requesting feedback which is then displayed on the website adding further authenticity to the review.

Examples of review facilities; MyWardrobe, American Apparel, First Direct and Comet

Video/Photo galleries

On your website you can provide a gallery displaying videos or photos submitted by customers. A gallery could be used in conjunction with a competition, as part of a review facility or simply to show off the product/service. The benefit of having user generated photos and videos is that it can be used across several channels, within the website, on the social media profiles and on a dedicated YouTube channel for videos.

Examples of user generated galleries; Firebox, Oxo and Asos (again!)

Brand Wiki

A company wiki can be utilised for internal use as an effective and affordable alternative to an intranet. Users create, amend and edit the content within the wiki so its not something a company would want to let loose to the general public but along with being an excellent hub for employees to post information and communicate with one another. Within Wikipedia many larger (or reknowned) companies will have a page, it is impossible to completely control the information posted on the page, however, you can ensure that the information is factual, up to date and non slanderous. For any issues with the company wiki read this blog post.

The Pros and Cons of it all

Using and promoting user generated content is an excellent way to engage with customers and can in many cases be an excellent source of inspiration for improving or marketing your service or product. Further to this user generated content can form an integral part of an advertising and online marketing campaign; many companies including Doritos, TMobile, Asos and Oxo all use customer made videos and photographs in some form of marketing material as a means of selling their products.

Of course whenever a company invites people to generate content they are running the risk of receiving a bit of negative comments, to curb this many opt to moderate comment and reviews facilities ensuring only the ‘good’ ones get through. Doing so can have a negative effect; you run the possibility of no one commenting or alternatively no one trusting the comments being made. Instead of moderating consider allowing negative comments to be posted and read by one ‘n’ all but ensure that you respond to it. By engaging upset customers you are showing that your company accepts its mistakes and seeks to learn from them. Look to BT on Twitter who actively enage with customers having difficulty with their BT service turning a nasty situation into an incredibly positive one.

For any company seeking to encourage user generated content the best course of action is to have a set of moderation guidelines and procedures in the case of negative comments or publicity ensuring that everyone understands how the publicity and comments are to be dealt with.

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Internet not looking so anonymous now…

Monday, August 24th, 2009

Anonymous blogger better think twice before posting nasties online…

Former model Liskula Cohen has sued Google forcing them to reveal the identity of an unsavoury anonymous blogger who runs and controls a blog hosted on blogger.com called Skanks of New York. It is claimed that the blog website features several libellous and defamatory comments about the former model, and as a result Cohen took legal action forcing Google to reveal the identity of the anonymous blogger. Cohen is now entitled to file a defamation lawsuit against the writer behind the now-defunct blog.

It is the same situation here in the UK, in a case earlier this year, Author of a Blog v. Times Newspapers Ltd. [2009] EWHC 1358 (QB), the Times newspaper was given the right to reveal the identity of an anonymous blogger. The anonymous blogger unsuccessfully tried to move the court for a preliminary injunction to restrain Times from revealing his identity on the basis that his anonymity is protected under the right to privacy enforced by Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

Justice Eady declined the injunction primarily on the grounds that blogging was essentially a public and not a private activity and that it was in public interest to inform the citizens of the background of the blogger providing such views.

These two cases show that bloggers can no longer make throw away insults and claims behind the comfort of anonymity. Anonymity has always been a default option when blogging online, but these cases raise several important questions over whether we really have a right to anonymity and do bloggers have rights when it comes to voicing an opinion?

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Design Crush – edition 10

Monday, June 15th, 2009

Blogs play a major role within the web; gone are the days where blogs were just for the normal individual who wanted to write whatever was on their mind. Most companies not only have a website but now utilise blogs too. More and more corporate companies from all sectors of business are utilising blogs to not only advertise their products or services, but to give their brand a voice. And with this surge of new blogs, came new design challenges.

Designing for blogs is not just about using the thousands of free templates that are so readily available or just sticking a colourful header graphic at the top. Blog design is about creating a solid visual structure, with a thoughtful hierarchy of content elements and should be able to connect the content of the site to the presentation.

For this to be achieved, you need to think about accuracy, simplicity and a good use of typography and illustration. Because blogs are content based, mostly being text, getting the typography right is the most important element of blog design.

There is a large difference between corporate blogs and personal blogs. With corporate blogs, they are often made to look the same, if not very similar to the main website. This allows them to tie into the main corporate identity to amplify the company’s personality. Good examples of company blogs can be seen from Econsultancy.com and Topshop.co.uk

However, personal blogs take a slightly different design slant, with many designs using slightly more adventurous styles to create attention-grabbing and unique identities online. Because of the nature of blogs, being that they are an expression of someone’s thoughts, likes and dislikes the designs often reflect this and become a very personal thing. Good examples of personal blog design can be seen from ilovetypography.com and bubblessoc.net

Overall, blog design relies heavily on how the content and text is structured and treated and for what purpose the blog is being used for, whether it is part of a company’s website or a standalone blog.

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Give your company a voice with a blog

Wednesday, August 27th, 2008

If you’re reading this blog then I am presuming you have a fair idea of what they do and how they are maintained. The uses for a blog are endless; for an individual a way to express their views and opinions and for a company it is a way to connect to their stakeholders, and most importantly their customers.

If you are under the impression that blogging is a hobby or something to be taken lightly then don’t be mistaken they can be great money making tools. Just have a look at the Guardian’s list of most powerful blogs, containing a combination of political, personal, technology and gossip blogs, including Perez Hilton who has in fact created an entire career and celebrity persona from his cult bitchy gossip blog and the Drudge Report the first media outlet to report the Monica Lewinsky debacle.
Corporate blogs will often have a different agenda than to the entertainment style blogs, it is reported that 58% of the companies on the Fortune 500 list have a corporate blog, and if you are a business owner you really need to consider the real benefits blogging can bring?
Firstly it gives your company a voice; it opens up a communication channel that allows you to engage in meaningful conversation with your customer, something that no marketing campaign could ever achieve. By conversing and remaining entirely honest with what you are blogging about you will create a relationship of trust with your customer. However, for this to be completely successful you must allow visitors to the blog a high level of freedom, welcome criticism and respond, allow your blog to act as a forum for customer service. Of course, unconstructive criticism that is borderline abuse of the system is not necessary and you can still keep a reign on the comments being published.

On another level an established blog can also be an excellent ally to have in a crisis, submitting a press release to traditional media can take a full 24 hours to take effect, whilst a blog can post this information immediately. Very recently Google’s Gmail service went on the blink, there were many disgruntled individuals and companies out there and what was the first thing Google did once the problem was rectified? They wrote a public apology in their blog, similarly in response to criticism of the IPhone Apple wasted no time in issuing an apology to all the IPhone users. Along with this having the power to constantly update a blog allows a company to keep customers informed as and when it happens.
Finally, one of the primary uses of a blog, it can market your company. A blog can be used to demonstrate the strong corporate culture, inform customers of new or enhanced products/services and it can play a vital role in image management. Further to this it can be a key tool in differentiating your company from your competitors, stand out from the crowd with an honest and insightful blog that encourages customers to choose you over your rivals.

A blog can be beneficial to anyone or any company regardless of size; many of 360innovate clients have active blogs Archibald Photography, have a beautiful blog that discusses wedding photography and the specific weddings in which they attend; at the opposite end of the spectrum disability magazine Able have an open forum that has various topics including the magazine features and an ‘Ask Abbie’ problem page. Both blogs generate a fair amount of interest and are undoubtedly a great addition to their overall corporate website.

If you are considering setting up a corporate blog please feel free to contact our technical team to discuss what 360innovate can do for you.

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